Jamal Tahan - RELEASED Dec. 23, 2011

Jamal Tahan a prominent intellectual and scholar from Aleppo, prolific writer, member of Arab Writers’ Union, editor of the cultural section of Jamahir (“The Masses”) newspaper which was issued in Aleppo from 2000 to 2006, chief editor of Al Aadat (customs) periodical, lecturer, and doctorate holder in philosophy, to name but a few of his roles, Dr Tahan was arbitrarily detained from his home, while recovering from surgery, by Air Force Security in Aleppo on July 19.

A prostate cancer patient, Jamal Tahan, was spending a period of convalescence following a major surgery was not given any consideration by Syrian authorities.

He called for nonviolence and was vocal in demanding that the regime stop its security crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations and activists. Initially, he had been calling for reforms, but it is clear that regime “reforms” have swept him up in their own special way.We hold the Syrian regime responsible for the safety of prisoner of conscience, Jamal Tahan, and demand his unconditional release.